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| Germany expels two Russian diplomats | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two Russian diplomats working at the country's embassy in Berlin have been declared persona non grata, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has announced. The move is linked to a high-profile murder case blamed on Moscow. | Two Russian diplomats working at the country's embassy in Berlin have been declared persona non grata, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has announced. The move is linked to a high-profile murder case blamed on Moscow. |
| The German Foreign Ministry has summoned Russia’s ambassador to Berlin and informed him that two of the embassy’s diplomatic staff have been declared personae non gratae, Baerbock told a news conference on Wednesday. | The German Foreign Ministry has summoned Russia’s ambassador to Berlin and informed him that two of the embassy’s diplomatic staff have been declared personae non gratae, Baerbock told a news conference on Wednesday. |
| The move was linked to the high-profile murder of Chechen separatist Zelimkhan Khangoshvili dating back to 2019. The case sparked a row between Moscow and Berlin, after the German authorities accused Russia of being behind the killing, which Moscow has denied. | The move was linked to the high-profile murder of Chechen separatist Zelimkhan Khangoshvili dating back to 2019. The case sparked a row between Moscow and Berlin, after the German authorities accused Russia of being behind the killing, which Moscow has denied. |
| According to Baerbock, the murder amounted to a “grave violation” of Germany’s “law and sovereignty.” She added that Berlin still seeks an “open and honest” dialogue with Moscow – something she also told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a phone call on Tuesday. | According to Baerbock, the murder amounted to a “grave violation” of Germany’s “law and sovereignty.” She added that Berlin still seeks an “open and honest” dialogue with Moscow – something she also told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a phone call on Tuesday. |
| “That is in our mutual interest,” Baerbock said. | “That is in our mutual interest,” Baerbock said. |
| Incidents such as the Berlin park murder “heavily burden” the relations between the two nations, the minister said, placing the blame squarely on Moscow. | Incidents such as the Berlin park murder “heavily burden” the relations between the two nations, the minister said, placing the blame squarely on Moscow. |
| Earlier on Wednesday, a German court sentenced a Russian citizen, Vadim Krasikov, to life in prison for Khangoshvili’s murder. According to the German prosecutors, the Russian security services had sent Krasikov to carry out the murder. | Earlier on Wednesday, a German court sentenced a Russian citizen, Vadim Krasikov, to life in prison for Khangoshvili’s murder. According to the German prosecutors, the Russian security services had sent Krasikov to carry out the murder. |
| The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any links to the case, and Russia’s ambassador to Berlin, Sergey Nechaev, called Wednesday’s verdict “biased” and “politically motivated.” | The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any links to the case, and Russia’s ambassador to Berlin, Sergey Nechaev, called Wednesday’s verdict “biased” and “politically motivated.” |